Driving The Ultimate School Bus Up An Active Volcano | Top Gear

This behemoth is the Torsus Praetorian - the Mad Max of coaches. It came to life after the husband and wife team of Pulsar Expo realised that companies needed a more efficient way to move people on-site than a fleet of pick-ups and SUVs. What spawned was a 35-seater off-road bus which can handle pretty much any terrain you can think of. Its 6.9-litre straight-six diesel engine produces 290bhp which might not sound like much considering a basic Praetorian weighs 13,400kgs - until you find out it also has 848lb-ft torque.
Where else better to test the ultimate off-road bus than Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe hanging out at just under 11,000 ft. Allow Top Gear Magazine's Tom Ford to be your guide.
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:55 Company Background
1:55 Versions
2:28 Closer Look
2:52 Engine & Performance
3:27 Mount Etna Intro
4:16 Driving the Torsus Praetorian
6:25 Mount Etna Landscape
7:05 Locals' Opinions of Mount Etna
8:20 Outro
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[@affansoultan4013]

“We’re just visitors. We don’t own anything. We owned, by Mother Nature.” Well said, Mr. Maurizio!

[@kylehowe6761]

Somebody owns a 200k bus that can go up a volcano tho

[@user-mp1fk2cg8e]

😜👍🏻

[@benastwood]

I agree with the Man-lion

[@Spheredalai]

ok turn this into a camper and it'll become one hell of a recreational vehicle

[@chukamakalaka]

I think that is what everyone that is watching this thinking hahaha

[@skinman499]

Sheeesh

[@purwantiallan5089]

@@skinman499 this is the only good episode of 2022 Top Gear so far.

[@thomas3CO]

We are working on a camper. Best regards Torsus Germany

[@cubohedron]

There’s a camper model-

[@vitabona5]

For anyone wondering why he left off the price: $185k bare bones, $445k loaded. Not for sale in the US.

[@abhishetty2637]

Volume is key,

[@nikobellic3526]

Why isnt it available in the USA

[@JohnFromAccounting]

Not bad for a tour bus.

[@blerst7066]

@@nikobellic3526 It's not exactly a big company. Also, legal shenanigans.

[@Anonymous-jj9yu]

Damm a good zombie vehicle

[@nicholasstocker6866]

A 6.9L engine. N I C E! Seriously though, this is an amazing piece of engineering!

[@yungkidnf]

I stopped watching Top Gear some time ago, but THIS caught my attention.

[@nathanielmoore87]

In an RV configuration, this has got to be the most ultimate overlander on the market!!

[@ligametis]

What is the point of overlander when we have decent roads everywhere in Europe.

[@sports2hedz542]

Delica gran papa

[@NebraskaGonvilleJones]

Far, far, far too heavy if the thing weighs 13t. I suspect that is the GVM rather then the buses actual weight however. Not sure about it’s hiway speed noise and ride, that’s 90% of overlanding after all

[@mclarenf1lm374]

"...they were moving people inefficiently in suvs instead of buses" sounds like the us to me

[@scrapinpennies4365]

Lol amen

[@AMacProOwner]

Walkable volcanos when?

[@mclarenf1lm374]

@@AMacProOwner when someone builds a mall there

[@addxibbs6797]

My parent taking bus to school be like:

[@Ozzzzz861]

Top Gear has always been a travel show but with cars to me. Another great episode

[@brelshar4968]

This is fake top gear.

[@gavinwyllie7855]

@@brelshar4968 keep crying, it's enjoyable.

[@wowsly]

@@brelshar4968 so true. top gear finished years ago. what is this rubbish :(

[@purwantiallan5089]

@@brelshar4968 2000s Top Gear are far better, Brelshar.

[@purwantiallan5089]

@Tuva yep. 2009 Top Gear are better.

[@M3PH11]

Tom Ford! we need to see more of this guy. Maybe give him Paddy's job.

[@sports2hedz542]

Agreed!

[@caydenpo1001]

0:40 those mountains look like they were taken straight from a painting.

[@bDz416]

Or a certain game....🤔

[@mikimosky4109]

Pretty cool isn't it? Nature is fantastic!

[@alexmercer3001]

The last message was so good, it was heavy with the heart. We don't own the nature, The nature owns us.

[@manikantadigitalsbadvel2214]

yes it felt good agreed

[@patrickdgarez86]

Very good to see Tom back in business. Was always one of my top guys at Fifth Gear. Happy to see that TG picked him up (might have been a while ago but I have only seen vids of him twice, in the last year or so) Let's see more of him, please. Gorgeous video too, particularly tying it to such an important topic. Wonderful to know that the Ukraine is still up and running despite the horrors that it has been enduring.

[@tobyjohnson6722]

He was also a columnist for Top Gear Magazine back in the day, not sure if he still is.

[@planespeaking]

Nice to see Tom Ford doing Top Gear videos

[@mattlaggs5151]

Saw the title and thought, oh I bet wookie is doing this one. Happy to say I was right. Can we get more Tom Ford on the channel please? Cheers!

[@deafmango]

I want this, I would own it and just go off-road

[@RATsnak3]

i think that's why it exists

[@bDz416]

This literally couldn't of been a more perfect fit for FH5..... 😍

[@NebraskaGonvilleJones]

Bus 4x4 in Australia have been making tough 4x4 buses for decades. Mostly used to haul people to mine sites. If they can handle the outback then they can sure handle a smokey hill

[@vincentvaucelle7000]

Tom Ford is the best English motoring writer and a pretty good video show presenter too.

[@TheTrueGrimReaper]

I can't help but play the magic school bus theme song over this video and I'm dieing

[@chronicmachines6717]

Love what he said about the Volcano, that's beautiful man ♂️

[@OrgKgTV]

The end part is heartfelt indeed..Heaven on earth..cheers Tom...

[@gabrielarnold]

I am suprised, this is really beautifully done! …I am an old Top Gear fan and was pretty much bored after the old trio stopped and evolved into The Grand Tour. But this is seriously awesome. Congrats!!!

[@nickmartinez7667]

Wonderful piece of journalism. Makes me appreciate the art of vehicles and the landmark sites.

[@Scarbir]

Amazing video. Loved the Italian insight. 👌🏻

[@woodwick4684]

Probably the best Top Gear video I've seen since the original three left

[@ericelectro8684]

What a beautiful bus!

[@purwantiallan5089]

This is the best episode i watched so far in Top Gear.

[@CerberusProject]

If they made a smaller version of this, they could turn it into the next VW bus.

[@berendt87]

There is a bus of Torsus, the Torsus Terrastorm, which is based on a Volkswagen Crafter 4Motion chassis.

[@loyal4ever687]

Yes it is correctly, a example is the Same chassis VW Toureg and Porsche Cayenne.

[@glitchmanshandle]

They certainly took the not standard tourist route up etna. I want in!!!

[@RastaRider]

Nice sentiment from the Sicilian that looks like I. 7:25 Cheers from Florida

[@us7876]

Futuristic AND functional. Now this is a legit cybertruck

[@tellun7643]

Really great video guys 👍

[@HarpreetSingh-nw3ec]

That’s what parents needed when they used to go to school.

[@developdelux9637]

Tom Ford you old devil! Great to see you back on the screen...can you bring back some of the mad stuff I've seen you do earlier in your career...it would work well with the current team!

[@moldytexas]

I'd pay good money to watch an hour-long documentary of this episode

[@purwantiallan5089]

Priyam, 2009 Top Gear documentaries are still better.

[@moldytexas]

@@purwantiallan5089 Oh absolutely! But i'm saying this is good as well.

[@gavinwyllie7855]

@@purwantiallan5089 what documentary did top gear do in 2009?

[@kadedilac]

That view is just.. wauwww

[@flyingpanhandle]

Sod the bus, Maurizio is a handsome chap

[@diedfrombored5295]

F150 of buses is a massive understatement, this is the POWER WAGON of buses.

[@ChrisBWelch]

Hurrah, it's Tom Ford! Welcome back Tom👍🏻

[@MrMKirill]

Great job, Torsus team! I am really happy for you! My regards to Vakhtang!

[@rempuial2530]

Good to see Tom Ford!

[@Driver599]

Given that he is very busy with the fashion world, good to see him behind the wheel of some fine machinery.

[@mohammadsattar5488]

I'm impressed by the lack of dust on his black t-shirt when he rolled out from under the bus

[@Anankin12]

It's black dust, I'm mot sure you'd notice it on camera if it was there

[@jonathanbrown2296]

THE BUS:"Torsus" Me:The sus bus XD

[@Riskybusinessss]

worth watching for the guys speech near the end about etna

[@funtechxtream8753]

Nice bus man

[@mariekfishing]

This guy is good. Would like to see more of him

[@gavinwyllie7855]

He's worked for the company for many years, yes.. He's lost a fair amount of weight though.

[@piewithmoustachepwm]

Neat, a modern big brother of the Buhanka.

[@fit-tubeproduction3165]

Thanks 👍🏻

[@exempli646]

Honestly Maurizio's bit was perhaps more exciting than the rest of the video

[@willofthemaker]

As someone converting a Sprinter into a campervan, this is literally my dream rig

[@deserttrailscout]

So sick

[@Rad1oD3mon]

Imagine this thing having a full solar panel roof and being electric powered! It'd be unstoppable!!

[@elisaoliviero1564]

I love this bus

[@fuckanime1790]

Top gear is nothing without the trio..

[@simpslayer7839]

In the DRC they’ll love this

[@lin7022]

Ideal off-road RV

[@joshbacon8241]

"Sorry kids, no more snow days!"

[@timothy.p6128]

what about the teachers though ?

[@jaimemalumbane4192]

😅

[@ewaldstander766]

Now let’s give it to The Grand Tour and see what it is actually capable of. The only thing I saw was a dirt road.

[@Spice_Monk]

The school bus my dad needed when he was a kid

[@scottyensen]

I didnt even know Top Gear was still on !

[@atraiobaker7871]

The school bus I recommended to my dad after he told me he had to go 500 miles up hill in constant rain with tornados to classes

[@uribennun8335]

Haven't seen Top Gear in a while. This presenter is pretty decent!

[@kleemann2068]

In the 80s, the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) had TAM 110A5 4x4 buses, nicknamed the litlle elephant (slonče) in its fleet. The bus was unique and had exceptional off-road driving capabilities.

[@linzixuan29]

Nice bus

[@budisansamuelfabian6233]

yes. this is lit fam

[@hhleap]

Damn, I’m proud of Ukraine! What a nice bus

[@vidhatrumalakar2859]

Just imagine how happy the kids would me if this was there school bus

[@daanbos5918]

The magic school bus

[@emker7772]

Nice

[@Arielsenis]

DIRE !!! Just a pale shadow of the real thing

[@tidysampler585]

An interesting vehicle. Go anywhere, anytime. Looks rugged too. Plus I haven’t seen Tom Ford since his days on Fifth Gear on CH5.

[@davaomemoirs9839]

Maurizio! Well said well said.

[@Sailingrom]

My dad needed this car on his way to school

[@Mugtree]

Awsome vehicle and video. Any chance when you talk about hight and distance you could also use metric too? I was never taught imperial and the figures just don’t make sense😬. Thank you

[@artemkhateev3650]

Cool bus. I want to go to volcano inside this bus)

[@artyom8205]

Я подумал, с превью видео, что это новая модеть УАЗ Буханка :)

[@t-rex4211]

Etna is riddled with 4x4 buses similar to that. I’m surprised actually how you managed to film this without getting one of them in shot

[@josephippolito7528]

I'm homeless in Breckingridge Co, this would save my life. Thx for the dream!

[@HasanBabasi]

You make this electric, strap on solar panels, and baby, you got one hell of a quiet, nature loving machine.

[@Alexandra-Rex]

The thing said about if you do get into an accident, it will be huge. The alternative is to have the same huge accident if it happens, but also many smaller accidents if it's not good enough :P I'd like this kind of vehicle for a camper van.

[@Anankin12]

I think the point is, you could grow overconfident in its capabilities go beyond what it can do. But since it can do a lot, it also means that going beyond translates in something extreme.

[@Sanity2906]

Cool

[@sergeantschlumpf6368]

4:30 that’s actually what looks like a fully manual transmission vehicle😮5:09 Not a “tipmatic”.

[@songkok7hitam]

this is brilliant. i reckon for a good price it would make a good selling here in the Philippines. the road here are challenging plus with the amount of people traveling on a daily basis up to an extent on an ancient Jeepney rooftop and on cheap modified korean mini bus (multicab), this vehicle could be ideal for us. perhaps I was just dreaming.

[@user-ep3ug9ry3p]

“How my grandparents go to school”

[@KokoFixed]

they need these trucks for those dangerous roads i see on documentaries. they would greatly benefit

[@sergeantschlumpf6368]

😂it’s not a school bus! 😂 0:21

[@vascofrancisco9903]

Imagine that in a Racing Game like FH5.

[@teerthjilka471]

Asian Parents finally can show how they went to school everyday

[@James.576]

These off-road roads are better than our roads here where I live🤣

[@MrJurkoff]

Nice 🚌.

[@Mooorino]

My fwd Merc A250E would probably take on that climb with ease. Comon, that is pretty good road lol

[@stanleyflooring6772]

TORSUS Also do a MAN tge van conversion too. Give it a search,looks awesome.

[@klikklikbum7556]

CLARKSOOOON

[@A_K_U_M_U_2129]

I want that in Crossout 😂

[@PaulHo]

I wasn't thinking for a second and thought it was going to be electric.

[@tharunfernando1684]

Man when I look at the TORSUS I think of a ELETRIC SCHOOLBUS that will propably be a normal schoolbus in 2024- 2025

[@g.m3399]

Miss the old top gear

[@grebodya]

А я смотрю дизайн какой то родной, а это оказывается наши делали )

[@sebastien6483]

I... I don't know how you kept that interesting, but you did.